The impact of pollutants on the antioxidant protection of species of the genus Tilia at different developmental stages

Abstract

The influence of transport fumes and industrial waste on the activity of catalase, benzidine-peroxidase and guaiacol-peroxidase was studied in the dormant buds, leaves and seeds of the following species of the genus Tilia:T. platyphyllos Scop., T. europaea L., T. amurensis Rupr. and T. begoniifolia Stev. We tested the hypothesis that the action of pollutants changes the state of antioxidant protection at different stages of tree development in contaminated phytocenoses. An increase in catalase activity was observed in leaves of all linden species, and the action of transport fumes caused excess over control level by 118, 118, 196, and 61% respectively for T. platyphyllos, T. europaea, T. amurensis and T. begoniifolia. The action of industrial waste was accompanied by a slight decrease in catalase activity in T. europaea leaves, and increase in activity in leaves of T. amurensis and T. begoniifolia (143% and 115%). Benzidine-peroxidase activity increased due to the influence of transport fumes on leaves of T. amurensis and T. begoniifolia (103% and 44%), but decreased due to the effect of industrial waste on leaves of T. europaea, T. amurensis and T. begoniifolia (46%, 30%, and 44% respectively), and was suppressed in the seeds of T. europaea, T. amurensis and T. begoniifolia both under the influence of transport (42%, 47% and 33% below control) and industrial emissions (19%, 19% and 45%), and was reduced in buds of T. platyphyllos, T. europaea and T. amurensis due to the effect of transport fumes (21%, 9% and 20% respectively). Guaiacol-peroxidase activity decreased due to the influence of transport fumes in buds of T. platyphyllos, T. europaea and T. amurensis (41%, 14% and 47% below control), while it increased in the seeds of T. platyphyllos and T. amurensis (104% and 83%), as well as in leaves of T. amurensis and T. begoniifolia both due to the effect of transport (129% and 144%) and of industrial emissions (respectively, 34% and 40% above control). The substantial restructuring of the antioxidant system components in leaves, dormant buds and seeds confirms the hypothesis that metabolic processes in Tilia trees adapt throughout all stages of their development in response to the polluted conditions in urban phytocenoses.